Valve construction



United States Patent- O 2,992,806 VALVE CONSTRUCTION Jerome J. Kanter,Palos Park, and Carl U. Larson, Berwyn, Ill., assignors to Crane Co.,Chicago, Ill., a cor poration of Illinois 1 Filed Jan. 2, E1958, Ser.No. 706,727 2 Claims. (Cl. 251-64) This invention pertains to a valveconstruction in which a certain fluid flow or leakage is permitted topass the closure in one condition thereof, while such flow or leakage isprohibited another condition of the closure. More particularly, theinvention is applicable to Water closet flush tanks Where it is desiredto eliminate the conventional overflow tube or channel and providerefill through the closure member. Although not forming part of thepresent invention, overflow relief can be had as taught in co-pendingapplication Serial No. 652,281, filed April 11, 1957.

It is accordingly a primary object of the invention to provide a valveconstruction permitting a limited passage of fluid in one condition tothe valve, while permitting fluid sealed engagement between the seat andclosure admitting of no passage of fluid another condition of the valve.

Another important object is to provide, in water closet flush tankconstructions, for the necessary refill of the closet by means of acontrolled leakage or limited fluid flow past the valve closure in oneclosed condition thereof, said closure completely closing ofl in fluidsealed relation with the valve seat in another and tully closedcondition of the closure.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon proceeding withthe following description read in light of the accompanying drawing,which are illustrative of the present invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a water closet flush tank andoutlet valve therefor, the latter being constructed according to oneform of the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan View of the closure member of FIG. 1 takenseparately.

Referring to the drawing in detail and directing our attention first toFIGURES 1 and 2, the numeral 1 designates a flush tank (shownfragmentarily) as used with water closets for instance, said flush tankbeing provided with the usual float supply valve or ballcock (not shown)adapted to allow the filling of the tank to a normal full tank level(not shown), at which level the float actuated supply valve normallyshuts off.

The flush tank is also provided with an outlet port 2 through which thetank liquid may discharge. The top of the port is defined by a fiatannular seat surface 3 for effecting substantially flat seatingengagement of a flapper type closure member 5 mounted by means of themounting post 7 to the floor of the flush tank. The details of theclosure member, other than those embraced in the present invention, andof the mounting post may be found in US. Patent Number 2,756,437 andco-pending application Serial No. 455,842, filed September 14, 1954, nowUS. Patent No. 2,822,552, granted February 11, 1958. Briefly, theclosure member 5 is constructed of a piece of flexible material such asrubber or the like and comprises a forward closure portion 8 spanningthe ported seat 3 in the closed valve position and a rearward attachmentand hinge portion 9 having a transversely extending slot 10 fordistortion or stretching over the enlarged button head 12 at the top ofthe mounting post 7. The mounting post is secured to the bottom of thetank by suitable means such as a bolt 13. In accordauce with the abovenoted co-pending application, the base 14 of the mounting post is madeflat on one side (not shown) so as to engage a flat seated lug (not 2shown) arising firom the floor of the flush tank so as topredeterminedly position the mounting post for proper valve closing andto prevent relative rotation of the post to the tank.

The closure member also includes a dependent buoyant element 16,preferably of a specially formed, single piece of foam type polystyreneor polyethylene. The means of attachment of this float element and thespecial formation of the receiving part of the closure, which is pliantfor insertion of the float element, torm the subject matter of US.Patent Number 2,756,437.

It should be noted, at this point, that the conventional overflow tubeor an integrally formed overflow channel has not been provided. Inaccordance with the objectives noted in the preamble, the presentinvention contemplates the elimination of such overflow provision andprovides for refill of the associated water closet by other means.

To accomplish this objective the closure portion 8 is formed withperipheral undulations allowing for flow passage into the port Q duringthe initial stage of closing. More particularly, the outer peripheralportion comprises a plurality of alternately raised and depressedportions 25 and 26, forming relieved portions between the lower pointsof portions 26 for the inflow of tank water, which portions 25 and 26taper towards a flat plane at the innermost limit 27, while stillproviding for flow passage in the region of the inner edge of the seat.Such closure member is also constructed of flexible, resilient material(except for the interior domed part 28 and float element 16) for thesame fiexure as indicated in the first form and in the patentspreviously noted and also, in accordance with the present invention, toallow the peripheral wave-like portion to become pressed into a flatcondition by the action of the hydraulic head after suflicient fillingof the tank, to engage the valve seat in fluid sealed relation for thefinal closing stage of the valve. It is obvious that in the preliminaryor first stage of closing, as shown in FIGURE 4, that the controlled orlimited fluid passage or leakage Will be allowed for refill purposes ofthe water closet, which leakage will be gradually lessened as the waterin the tank rises until the final stage of closing is completed.

Although the peripheral portion of the closure member has been disclosedas undulatory, the same effect may be had by forming it flat andcementing or otherwise 'aifixing to the lower surface thereof a ring ofresilient, sealed cellular, water impervious material formed withradially directed grooves or reliefs for liquid passage, which ringwould be compressible or deflectable into a substantially flat, reliefeliminating condition for fluid sealing engagement with the seat uponthe attainment of the above mentioned predetermined level. duringfilling of the tank.

Also, although the undulations are shown in the closure member, areversal may be had in which the same are formed in the valve seat withthe closure member spanning the raised parts in a flat condition anddeflecting into fluid sealed engagement with the seat upon attainment ofthe predetermined level of tank filling.

It should, of course, be understood that for ordinary actuation of theflapper member 8 into the open position the ball chain 42 is pulledupwardly by the usual valve operator (not shown). It should also beexplained that in order to provide for overflow relief, inasmuch as nooverflow tube or channel has been provided, an additional float such as27 in co-pending application Serial No. 652,281, filed April 11, 1957,may be suitably attached by a flexible chain to the chain 4-2 to raisethe flapper member for such relief upon the attainment of apredetermined overflow stage. Or, alternate forms for raising theclosure member may be employed as shown in the co-pending applicationnoted.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described andillustrated, the latter is not to be construed as so limited, but ratherto be defined only by the terms of the appended claims read in the broadspirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A valve combination comprising a ported seat, a closure membermovable in operation into a fully opened position for fiull liquid flowthrough the port of said ported seat, said closure member extendingacross the port of the ported seat in a partially'closed condition ofthe closure member relative to said seat and sealingly engaging the seatin a fully closed condition of the closure member relative to said seat,and means interposed therebetween to maintain the said closure memberand seat in predetermined spaced apart relation to permit fluid leakagetherepast in the partially closed condition of the closure member, saidleakage permitting means being 20 positioned within the confines of theported seat in the partially closed condition of the closure member and4 comprising resilient flexible undulatory portions cooperating with theclosure member and having alternately raised and depressed areasrespectively holding the said closure member in the partially closedposition while permitting fluid flow through the depressed areas.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, the said raised and depressed areasextending substantially radially relative to the port of the said seatto communicate therewith and being integral with said closure member toprovide the seat contact therefor in the respective partially closedcondition and the fully closed condition of the said closure member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,775,979 Stout et a1. Ian. 1, 1957 2,793,649 Hamer May 28, 19572,857,131 Cole Oct. 21, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,872 Germany Oct. 4, 1956

